Frank ashton



(No Model.) N

. F. ASHTON.

APPARATUS-FOR LUBRIUATING SPINDLES.,OF SPINNING AND DOUBLING FRAMES-Patented Dec. 3,

l NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ASHTON, OF OLDHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IVILLIAMBODDEN, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR LUBRlCATlNG SPINDLES OF SPINNING AND DOUBLING FRAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,858, dated December3, 1895. Application filed February 21, 1895. Serial No. 539,168. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ASHTON, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Oldham, in the county of Lancaster,England, have invented Improvements in Apparatus for Lubricating theSpindles of Spinning and Doubling Frames, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for lubricating thespindles of ring spinning and doubling or other similar frames, theprincipal object of the invention being to enable allthe spindles ofsuch a frame to be lubricated at one operation without stopping theframe and without removing the drivingbands from the wharves.

For the purposes of my invention I connect the oil cups or chambers ofall the spindles of the frames (or of one side thereof) together bymeans of a long tube running from one end of the frame to the otherbeneath the spindles, such tube being provided with a number of shortbranch tubes or nipples, one to each spindle.

At one end of the frame is a reservoir connected to the tube, and bypouring oil into this reservoir all the spindle-cups can be filled up tothe required level at the same time, a glass gage-tube being provided atone end, whereby the level of the oil can at any time be ascertained.

The reservoir may be provided with a plunger, by raising which whenrequisite the oil can be drawn from all the oil cups or chambers andreturned by depressing the plunger again until the oil rises to thenormal level. The reservoir (or the pipe) is also provided with a tap bymeans of which all the oil-cups can be emptied. All the oil cups orchambers can also be cleaned out at any time by running petroleumthrough the long pipe either by gravity or by suction.

By the use of this invention not only are time and trouble saved bylubricating the spindles while the frame is running, but the life of thespindle-bands is also preserved by dispensing with the necessity forstraining them over the edges of the wharves, and as the oil-cups arealways kept full and the oil can be changed at any time the powerrequired for driving the frame is considerably reduced.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and to describe thesame more in detail, I have annexed hereunto a sheet of illustrativedrawings and have marked the same with letters of referencecorresponding with those in the following explanation thereof.

Figure 1 on the drawings isa front elevation, and Fig. 2 a partialvertical section, of so much of a ring-spinning frame as is necessary toillustrate my invention; and Figs. 3 and 4 show end and front views ofparts of the frame, drawn to a smaller scale.

a, Fig. 1, is the spindle-rail.

b are the spindles near the gearing end, and e the bolsters, one ofwhich is shown in part section in Fig. 2, 6 being thebottom of thebolster, through which oil is to be admitted into the oil-chamber f.

g is a nipple or small tube either made in one piece with the bolster ormade separate from it, the object being to form an oil-tight joint withthe branch tube 72. Similar nipples g fasten the branch tubes h, whichare preferably elastic, to the long tube k. This tube 7.0 is produced tothe end of the frame to make connection with the short upright tube m,in which is fastened a glass gage-tube Z, so that the level of the oilmay be observed at F, thusshowing that the oil is up tothe same level inthe bolsters e, the rail a being cut away slightly, so that the tube ordoes not project in front of the frame.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4., l] are the spindles, the bolsters c ofwhich are connected to the tube 7r, as before described with referenceto Figs. 1 and 2. The tube runsthe whole length of the frame, 70 being asimilar tube on the outer side thereof. Z shows the oillevel gage-tube,there being oil-level gagetubes on each side of the frame. or is anupright tube connected to the side tubes is and It by the cross-tubes oand 0'. The upright tube n is continued toward the floor and terminatedin the stop-cock 19. At the top of this cup is an oil-cup n. In theupright tube n at the end of the frame another tube q is fastened tomake connection with a reservoir r. The reservoir is capable of holdingthe quantity of oil which would be required to fill all the tubes,nipples, and bolsters up to the required level.

Inside the reservoir 7 is a plunger 8, fitting down to the bottom of theinterior. There are plugs 10 0 screwed into each end of the tubes 75 7cand 0 and 0, on removing which a brush may be inserted and pushed ordrawn through each tube, or petroleum may be pumped through by theapplication of a portable pump for the purpose of cleaning out thetubes, if required.

The method of oiling the spindles is as follows: The spindles may berunning. The stopcock p is closed and the plunger 8 placed inside thereservoir 4". The lid of the oil-cup n is lifted and oil poured in. Theoil travels down the tube or, along the cross-tubes 0 and 0 and thetubes 70 and k, and rises through the nipples and branch tubes 71. intothe bolster-chambers f. At the same time the height of the oil can beobserved through the glass gage-tube at Z: or the glass tube on theother side of the frame, oil being poured in till it rises to therequired level.

The method of removing the oil is as fol lows: Without stopping theframe any suitable vessel is placed underneath the stopcock p, which isthen opened. The oil will then flow into the vessel, the tubes In and 75being slightly inclined downward toward the end at which the stop-cockis placed to faci1itate the flow of the oil to that end.

If any bolsters require to be removed, the plunger 5 is removed and theoil flows by gravity into the reservoir 7'. The bolsters are thendisconnected and, if required, fresh ones in.-

serted. The plunger 8 is then replaced, displacing the oil, which willflow back into the bolsters e.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In apparatus for lubricating the spindlesof spinning and doubling frames, the combination of a spindle-rail,spindle bolsters forming oil-chambers for containing a supply of oil tolubricate the spindles running in said bolsters, with a tube below thespindle rail and provided with branch pipes opening into the bottoms ofthe several oil chambers, and means for supplying oil to the bottoms ofthe latter through said branch pipes and retaining the oil therein andfor withdrawing it again when required through said branch pipes and forrefilling the oil chambers without arresting the revolution of thespindles.

2. The combination of a spindle rail and spindle bolsters with a tubebelow the spindle rail and provided with a branch pipe opening into thebottom of each bolster, an upright tube connected to the tube below thespindle rail and extending above and below the same, and a reservoir,the lower part of which communicates with and is at a suitable distancebelow the level of the first named tube, the said reservoir beingprovided with a plunger on withdrawing which the oil may be withdrawnfrom the bolsters, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ASHTON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. DAVIES, J NO. HUGHES.

